Married to the Dragon

by Selina Coffey

  “You’re right, it’s no big deal… IT’S HUGE! Go you! I’m so proud of you right now,” Rachel said.

  Ana just smiled.

  Chapter Three

  In Ana’s mind, a fake ID was the best investment anyone under 21 could make. Rachel had them made for the both of them in the first few weeks of their freshman year and they’d been used almost every weekend since. The bouncer standing at the door of Incognito took his time scanning every single one and after what seemed like forever, the trio were in.

  Ana had been to the club before but the dark beauty of it always made it feel brand new. There was plum colored velvet seating all around and black chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Throw pillows in all colors and sizes were haphazardly placed; inviting anyone who walked by to sit down and relax against them. Midnight blue silks sparkled as they hung from the ceiling, giving the place a starry night feel. The dance floor took up the center of the large room and it was already packed full of sweaty bodies moving to the beat of the bass.

  The three grabbed a round of shots at the bar and then made their way to the dance floor to join the crush of people. They danced close to one another and Ana got sandwiched with Rachel at her front and Sam at her back. Sam’s hands were on her hips and Ana thought it was the best birthday present ever. When the song ended, Sam said he was going to go get another round of shots. Ana was left by herself since Rachel was dancing with some buff dude. Ana was enjoying the night and had her eyes closed and her hands lifted in the air when a pair of rough hands found her hips.

  “Sam?” Ana asked as she lowered her arms, keeping her eyes closed.

  The guy moved to nuzzle his nose at the back of her neck and she shivered from the move. He then laid several small kisses along the bottom of her neck. The two moved to the beat of the music and it felt as if their bodies were in sync with the others. Their movements were so fluid.

  Ana was in paradise. That was until she heard Sam’s voice.

  “Ana?” Sam said. “I brought our drinks.”

  Ana stopped moving instantly and her eyes flew open. Sam was standing in front of her with three shots on a tray. Ana’s thoughts were all over the place. Sam, who was supposed to be dancing behind her, was standing not two feet in front of her. What was going on? Ana shoved at the arms that were holding her and turned around to look at the stranger. Except it wasn’t a stranger. It was him. The guy from the coffee shop this morning. Ana tried to remember his first name…Hemi? No that was a motor. Remi, that’s right. Remi. Remi. Remi.

  Remi was just staring at her with the cockiest grin on his face. He knew that she thought he was Sam and he hadn’t said anything. Instead he just made Ana’s body heat rise and her heart was pumping at a crazy pace. And damned if he wasn’t the most beautiful thing she had ever lay eyes on. Thick black hair, sky blue eyes and cheek bones that could cut glass.

  “Ana?” Sam asked again.

  Ana tore her gaze from Remi’s and looked at Sam. “Um… Uh, ahh, I need to go to the bathroom,” Ana announced. Without another word she dashed towards the back entrance to the club. She really didn’t have to pee but she did need some fresh air and time to process what had just happened.

  Outside the back door was quiet, only a couple stood there. Everything else was hidden in the darkness of night. The couple were about 25 feet away and seemed to be having a heated conversation. Ana ignored them and sat down on the ground and rested her head on her knees. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself and organize her thoughts. She’d had a crush on Sam since he moved in six months ago and tonight was like a dream, until everything shattered. Remi, who she had never seen before today, seemed to draw her in like a magnet that she couldn’t resist.

  Everything about the two of them seemed to be the opposite. Sam was golden and Remi was dark. Sam was stable whereas Remi seemed wild and free. Sam screamed commitment and Remi screamed one night stand. Sam…

  Ana’s thoughts came to an abrupt stop when she heard the scream. She looked up and saw that the man had turned into a grotesque looking creature, with dark red skin and yellow eyes. His face was shriveled up in anger and his sharp brown teeth were showing, like dogs do when they snarl. The girl was trying to escape but the creature had her pinned beneath him.

  The creature took out something that resembled a sword and plunged it into the girl’s heart. The girl went silent and all of a sudden the sword lit up the darkness. The sword glowed pure white and was brighter than a flashlight. Ana moved to shield her eyes from the bright light. In doing so she drew the attention of the creature.

  The sword’s light went out and at the same time, the girl’s body turned to ash and disappeared. The creature picked up the sword and held it in his hand as he slowly made his way towards where Ana was sitting, too dumbfounded to move.

  The creature had to be 10 feet away from her when the back door opened and Remi walked out. Upon seeing the creature, he said something in an unknown language and a dagger appeared in his hand. He moved in to attack the creature, but the thing was already running away down the dark alley.

  Remi reached down to grab Ana’s hand and then lifted her up over his shoulder. It was then that Ana’s world went black.

  Chapter Four

  When Ana awoke, she was in a strange bed in a room that was clearly not hers. The bed was overly comfortable and the room was decorated in dark masculine colors. She lifted up the covers and was glad to find that she was still dressed as before. She got up and made her way down the hall to the kitchen where she could hear voices.

  “Welcome back, Ana,” Remi greeted.

  Ana smiled and waved at both Remi, who was standing against the sink counter and Sam, who was sitting on a barstool at the counter.

  “Good morning,” Sam said.

  Ana stood in the doorway and leaned on it. “What exactly happened last night? I know that I had a little bit to drink, but that does not account for what I saw.” She turned her head to Remi, “What was that thing and how did you just magically make that dagger appear in your hand?”

  Remi looked at Sam, who gave a small nod and then looked back to Ana. “What you saw last night might seem like fantasy, but it was not. In this world there are two sides that rule everything. The first is the light side. The light encompasses everything and everyone who is pure hearted and they have protectors to defend their people. The second side is the dark side. As you can imagine, this is the exact opposite of the light. The dark encompasses everything that the light rejects. These people and creatures rule the underworld and are in constant battle with the light.”

  Remi looked at Ana, but it was Sam who continued. “My full name is Samael, and I was sent to protect you.”

  “Protect me from what?” Ana asked.

  “The dark. You have a special gift, Ana. I was sent to make sure that you learned how to use that gift and that you would choose the light when the time came.”

  “What gift? Sam, you are sounding crazy right now. I’m normal, I have no special anything.”

  “You will know when the time comes. The gift hasn’t shown itself yet,” Sam replied.

  “Are you serious? When the time comes? Do you know how silly that sounds?” Ana huffed. “So if you were sent to protect me, what does that make you?”

  “I’m an angel,” Sam said simply.

  “An angel!”

  “Yes, Ana. An angel. I was sent by the light council to protect you.” He looked to Remi. “Tell her.”

  Ana looked to Remi for answers, but it seemed like forever before he finally opened his mouth and started talking.

  “Everything that Sam has said is true. I know this because we used to be in the guard together before I fell.”

  “Fell? From what?” Ana asked.

  “I am a fallen angel, the black sheep if you would. The council and I didn’t see eye to eye on something and I was kicked out of heaven permanently, sent to Earth to roam this world forever,” Remi sighed. “Sam is still a good boy and he still works fo
r the council. They are who sent him to watch over you.”

  Remi went on, “The dagger appearing in my hand last night was nothing more than an old spell that produces weapons on demand. Even though I walk this Earth, I still have the powers that run through my blood. I just don’t choose to use them very often.”

  “Why would you hide them?” Ana questioned.

  “They are a reminder of everything that I once had. A reminder of everything that I will never again be.”

  After a long pause, Ana was the first to speak. “So, let’s pretend that I believe all of what you two have said. What was that creature last night?”

  “It was a dark demon, sent from hell to collect pure souls,” Sam answered.

  “So that weapon that lit up… you’re telling me that the bright light was someone’s soul?”

  “Yes. The demons collect the souls and then use them as a defense against the light. The more pure souls that a demon absorbs, the harder it is to kill him.”

  “I see,” said Ana. “So what now?”

  “Now we eat lunch,” Remi said. “And wait.”

  “Wait for what?”

  “Now that the demon knows about you, they will send someone or something to collect you. The dark want your powers for themselves. Until then, Sam why don’t you go to the council and see if you can find out anything concerning Ana’s gift. Maybe then we can be prepared for whatever it may be,” Remi suggested.

  “Sounds like a good idea. Hopefully they can fill me in,” Sam said. He turned to Ana, “Please be careful. Remi will be here to protect you, but he can only do so much and until we find out what your gift is, you guys need to stay together.”

  Ana nodded. “Okay. I promise.” She moved to give Sam a hug and then he was gone, leaving just her and Remi standing there.

  Remi came up and took her hand and kissed it. “Why don’t we go find you something different to wear and go get some lunch?”

  Ana smiled. “I like the way you think,” she said.

  Chapter Five

  Once they were ready, the pair headed outside to walk to the nearest diner. The walk was short and so was the conversation. It wasn’t until they were seated that Remi started asking all the questions. Subjects ranged from her childhood, first kiss, favorite color and dream job. You name it, he asked it. Ana gladly answered all of his questions; not once did she feel like she was being interrogated. Remi just seemed genuinely interested in her life.

  When the food came they ate in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the meal. When they were done Remi paid the bill and they left. It wasn’t until they were a block from Remi’s apartment building that Remi saw him.

  Remi grabbed Ana’s arm and started to run. “Come on, let’s go. We have to get out of here. And fast,” he said.

  “What’s going on?” Ana asked.

  “There is a demon out there and he was waiting for us. Hurry up before he sees where we have gone.”

  The two continued to run for a few more blocks, until they came to an empty alley. Remi led her to a big heavy metal door. He held out his hand and said something in words that Ana couldn’t understand and then the door slowly opened.

  “One of those old spells again?” she asked.

  “Something like that,” he said as he led her through the doorway.

  They continued down a dimly lit hallway, then down a metal staircase until they reached another door. Remi used a key card and a pass code to unlock the heavy door. The door opened into a small but cozy space. There was a main room with a kitchen and a small bathroom off to the side.

  “What is this place?” Ana asked.

  “It’s my safe house,” Remi answered. “I’ve found that having a safe place can come in handy over the years,” he smiled.

  Ana looked around, taking in the space. “Exactly how old are you?” she asked.

  Remi ran his hand through his hair and smiled. “Are you sure you really want to know?”

  “I’m a big girl. I can handle it,” she smirked as she sat down on the small loveseat.

  Remi sat down next to her. “Okay then. I was born in 780 B.C.,” he said with a straight face.

  Ana was in complete shock. “780 B.C.?” she gasped. “As in before Christ? There is no way you’re that old!”

  “I asked if you really wanted to know,” Remi countered. “I’m an angel, of course I’m old. We don’t have small life spans like humans do.”

  “But you’re talking over two thousand years old.”

  “Some women think men get better with age. Like a fine wine,” he joked.

  Ana couldn’t agree more. The man was beautiful, even if he was ancient. “I suppose so.”

  Remi knew that Ana thought so. Even though she tried to act nonchalant, her eyes told the truth. If there was one thing that Remi had learned over the years, it was how to tell when someone was lying.

  He moved to grab her hand and just held it, gently rubbing the back of it with his finger. Ana looked up at him and he couldn’t help himself. He leaned down and gently kissed her. Ana loved the softness of his lips on hers. Neither of them tried to move, both just in the moment.

  Remi pulled away first and ran a finger down Ana’s cheek. “That was wonderful,” he said.

  “Likewise,” Ana confirmed. “Will you tell me about your life? What happened?” she asked quietly.

  Remi moved then, so that her head was resting on his shoulder, their hands intertwined on his lap. “It’s not a pretty story, Ana.”

  “But it’s a part of you. So it’s important to me.”

  “What am I supposed to do with you?” he joked. His smile quickly faded and he took a deep breath. “I haven’t told this story in a long time,” he paused. “I was a member of the transcendental guard. Sam was a member too. We were the protectors of the light, we were responsible for keeping the dark out. To protect the innocent and serve the council and their orders. It went without saying that we were expected to give our lives up to the cause and if we happened to die in the process, well that was just one possible outcome.”

  Remi continued, “I was happy with my role in life. To guard and protect was the highest honor, not easily given. I was good at what I did and easily rose to be a leader. Others looked up to me and respected me and it gave me a sense of wellbeing, like it was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. We battled with the darkest of the dark’s monsters and always came out on top. It seemed that nothing they came up with could defeat my guard or my men.”

  He took a deep breath and tried to gather his next words. “We had been called out to a mission dealing with Ornias, a very evil fallen angel. Angels can fall for several reasons. His were at the extreme, making mine look pale in comparison. Ornias was guilty of many things, like killing Aquarius born men, sucking the blood from humans and touching boys. He was a terror and had to be dealt with.”

  “He sounds horrible,” Ana said.

  “He was. We had been told that he had just slaughtered many men and he still had some young boys in his possession. When we arrived, there were bodies everywhere. Blood splashed everywhere like it had rained red. My men had split up and were searching the grounds for the boys when we heard the scream. It was a single scream and it was bloodcurdling. I was the first to arrive to find the boy. He had been tied up and you could tell that Ornias had already had his way. The boy was crying uncontrollably and it was heartbreaking. He must have only been 10 or 11 years old. The boy was mumbling something in between sobs but I couldn’t understand him. I cut his ties and pulled him into my arms, telling him that everything was going to be alright.”

  “While I was trying to console him, the boy became anxious and started to fight against me. Looking back, I think that he thought I was going to hurt him like Ornias had. He shoved away from me and had somehow managed to grab the dagger from my hand. I tried to talk to him, tried to calm him but nothing was working. I slowly tried walking towards him but before I could move he had taken the dagger and stabbed himself in the stom
ach, instantly killing himself.”

  After a moment of silence Remi went on. “It was horrible. There I was, a seasoned warrior, who had seen it all and I couldn’t even bear the idea of such an innocent taking his own life out of sheer terror. It was my job to protect the innocent and I had clearly failed that day. My men hadn’t found any other boys, and there were no signs of Ornias anywhere. He had fled and left nothing but devastation behind. I returned to the light council to report what had happened. Only, they already knew and were not happy.”

  “Failing is a high crime and not taken lightly. I was charged with failing to perform my main duty as a transcendent guardian; protecting the innocent. If I had killed Ornias, the punishment wouldn’t have been so fierce. Since he was still roaming free, still causing pain, I was sentenced with a heavy hand. Sent to Earth, never to return to heaven. Striped of all my merits, I was alone. Sam tried to fight for me, but it was useless. So I gave up everything I had and came to live on Earth. I loathed anything and everything that had to do with the light. I spent many decades in drunken comas, not caring about anything, including myself.”

  “I refused to feel anything, except for emptiness. I couldn’t bring myself to acknowledge how far I had fallen not just in my station, but in life itself. I was a horrible person for a long time. Not a person you would want to know, let alone spend time with. I was wallowing in self pity and didn’t care. To this day, I’m still a version of that man. I’m noncommittal and tend to live in the moment, not caring about the future. That morning in the coffee shop, that is how I live my life.”

  “How sad,” Ana said.

  “Please, don’t pity me.”

  Ana turned up to look at him. “I don’t. You have indeed come through hell and back, there is no question of that. It sounds as if you were too severely punished for a crime that you couldn’t control the outcome of. But the way that you have chosen to live your life, that is sad. You are a great man, Remi. You shouldn’t have to live your life like that. I know that it hurts to feel, but what value does a life have if it is not lived and felt?”